Library, Minute Man Arc host World Series trophy

Tuesday

Apr 15, 2014 at 5:28 PMApr 15, 2014 at 5:28 PM

By April M. Crehan

acrehan@wickedlocal.comThe Celtic punk notes of the Dropkick Murphys pumped through the air at the Concord Free Public Library last Thursday afternoon, and not a single staffer scurried over to hush the offending patrons.They and more than 200 Red Sox fans were too busy enjoying the championship glow from the 2013 World Series trophy.The trophy made two stops in Concord last week, also gathering crowds at Minute Man Arc on Baker Avenue.Library Director Kerry Cronin said she got the idea to bring the trophy to the library while at an Indianapolis conference, where her friend (also a library director) mentioned hosting it. She contacted the Red Sox organization and found out two weeks before that the trophy would be making a stop in Concord."I’m thrilled it worked out," Cronin said. "We see ourselves as the community meeting place for the town," and events like a visit from the World Series trophy really bring people together, she said."Look at all the teenagers!" she said, gesturing. "Isn’t this wonderful?"Nor was she alone in her enthusiasm."Most of the circulation staff are really big Red Sox fans," said Stacey Charbonneau of Maynard, who works at the circulation desk. "We have our own lawn chair with Wally the Green Monster" that they carefully positioned for good luck during critical Sox games.Charbonneau brought her two children, Robert, 14, and Eva, 10 (dressed, appropriately, in a Sox jersey)."[Robert] saw the trophy the year that they broke the curse," she said. "I wanted them to see it when they’ll remember it."Cronin said her staff was ecstatic when they found out the trophy would be visiting."It was like they’d won the lottery," she said with a laugh.Staff and visitors alike donned their game-day best to take pictures with the trophy against a Red Sox fabric backdrop Charbonneau spotted.To prep for the day, the library also created to Red Sox-themed displays highlighting the books they have for children and adults that relay both history and legend of Boston baseball. Staffers even made their own playlist; as visitors lined up for the snapshots, classics like "Sweet Caroline" and "Dirty Water" added to the feverish atmosphere.As school ended, the wave of visitors swelled, thanks in part to announcements made at local schools advertising the trophy’s presence. The average number of visitors on Thursdays from early February through the first week of April was just over 330; on April 10, the number of visitors shot up to 545."It’s really thrilling to see how this brings people together," Cronin said.The trophy also visited the Minute Man Arc after job coach Brian Zito was inspired to contact the Red Sox upon discovering the trophy had visited the nursing home where his wife works."I explained that we’re a human services agency and that it would mean a lot for them to see the trophy," he said. He was surprised at how quickly the organization said yes and the short turnaround time between his first email and the visit.Zito estimated that about 150 consumers visited the trophy at the Baker Avenue Extension pit stop. He added that he would be happy to organize more trophy tour stops "if we win another championship."Zito, like Cronin, was pleased with the reaction of the visitors."I thought it would be exciting for the consumers," he said. "It was great to see a lot of smiles."Get your daily dose of the Concord Journal by following reporter April M. Crehan on Twitter @CreInConcord.